Trolls (film)
Trolls is a 2016 American computer-animated musical7 comedy film8 based on the Troll dolls created by Thomas Dam. The film was directed by Mike Mitchell and co-directed by Walt Dohrn, written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger and based on a story by Erica Rivinoja. The film features the voices of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Zooey Deschanel, Christine Baranski, Russell Brand, James Corden and Gwen Stefani. The film follows two trolls who go on a quest, to save their village from destruction by the Bergens, creatures who eat Trolls to be happy. The 33rd animated feature film produced by DreamWorks Animation, the film premiered on October 8, 2016, at the BFI London Film Festival39 and was theatrically released in the United States on November 4, 2016, by 20th Century Fox.10 The film grossed $346 million worldwide against its $125 million budget and received anAcademy Award nomination for Best Original Song for "Can't Stop the Feeling!". A sequel, Trolls World Tour, is scheduled to be released on April 17, 2020. Plot The Trolls are small creatures who live in an almost perpetual state of happiness, singing, dancing and hugging all day. However, they are discovered by the Bergens, large miserable creatures, who can feel happy only after eating a Troll. The Bergens imprison the trolls and eat them every year on a special occasion, called Trollstice. The Trolls, led by their king, King Peppy, with his baby daughter, Princess Poppy, escape through underground tunnels on the day of Trollstice, when Prince Gristle Jr. was going to eat his first Troll. Enraged, Gristle Jr.’s father King Gristle Sr. banishes Chef, who was in charge of preparing for Trollstice. Chef promises to leave and find the Trolls herself. 20 years later, Poppy throws a big party to celebrate the Trolls' escape, despite the fears and warnings of the over-cautious and egotistical gray troll, Branch, that loud parties will attract the Bergens. A Zen troll named Creek, who is Poppy's crush, arrives and tells Branch to start being happy instead of being grumpy; Branch refuses. At the party, Branch's fears come true, when Chef sees the fireworks and kidnaps Guy Diamond, Biggie with Mr. Dinkles, Fuzzbert, Smidge, Satin with Chenille, DJ Suki, Cooper, and Creek (which Poppy tried to rescue). Chef then takes the kidnapped Trolls back to Bergen Town, while secretly plotting to overthrow its monarchy in revenge for her banishment. Alone inside the bunker, Branch looks at a bunch of homemade party invitations, indicating that he appreciates Poppy's offers of friendship and internally would like to have fun with the rest of the trolls. Meanwhile, Poppy goes on a rescue mission alone, as no other troll is willing to venture to Bergen Town, including Branch. But later on, when Poppy gets into trouble, she is saved by Branch, who thinks she will not make it if she goes alone. Once inside the Bergen king's castle, Poppy and Branch witness Creek apparently get eaten by Gristle Jr. (who is now king), but Poppy remains hopeful that Creek survived. Poppy and Branch find the rest of the captured Trolls being guarded by a scullery maid named Bridget. Poppy discovers that Bridget is secretly in love with King Gristle Jr. and offers to help her get a date with the king while trying to confirm if Creek is alive. While setting Bridget up for the date with a musical number, Branch refuses to sing and triggers an argument with Poppy, revealing that, as a child, his grandmother was captured and got killed while trying to save him, because his singing compromised his location to Chef. Branch's guilt and shame over his grandmother's death caused his color to turn from blue to gray. After Poppy comforts him with a hug, Branch decides to help Bridget and the trolls, though he still refuses to sing. Bridget, disguised under the name of "Lady Glittersparkles" gets her date with Gristle Jr. at a roller rink and arcade restaurant and Gristle Jr. asks her to be his "plus one" at Trollstice. Poppy notices Creek being held captive inside the jewel adorning the king's mantle. Having helped Bridget, the Trolls attempt to rescue Creek from Gristle's room and steal his jewel but discover that it is empty. The Trolls are then captured by Chef and are shocked to discover that Creek sold them out to the Bergens to spare himself from being eaten. Creek lures out every troll from Troll Village via cowbell and they are captured by Chef and the other Bergen cooks. With all the Trolls captured, thrown into a pot, and soon to be eaten, a heartbroken Poppy becomes sad after she had been betrayed by her crush, and loses hope as she and all the other Trolls turn gray. Branch, even though he is gray, tries to sing "True Colors" for Poppy to cheer her up, and also confesses his affection for her. Poppy, after regaining her colors, returns Branch's feelings, and they both end up restoring all the trolls' colors including Branch's. Bridget saves the trolls, willing to sacrifice herself. Poppy cannot bring herself to abandon Bridget after her sacrifice that is sure to doom her life, and with Branch and her friends, shows the Bergens that Bridget was Lady Glitter Sparkles and that it is not necessary to eat Trolls to be happy, and they too, can find happiness within themselves. Chef refuses to accept the peace and tries to kill the Trolls, but is knocked into a serving cart that is sent rolling out of Bergen Town. Chef is set on fire with Creek, who was still in her pouch. Both species celebrate, bringing new life to the town and renewing the life of the troll tree. Poppy is then declared queen of the Trolls, and Poppy and Branch share a hug. In a mid-credits scene, Chef and Creek's cart stops rolling. Chef prepares to eat Creek herself, but they soon find out they are on top of a monster, who opens his mouth and eats them both. Cast * Anna Kendrick as Princess Poppy, the princess and later queen of the Trolls and Branch's love interest. ** Iris Dohrn voices a baby Poppy. * Justin Timberlake as Branch, a paranoid, disgruntled Troll survivalist and Poppy's love interest. **Liam Henry voices a younger Branch. *Zooey Deschanel as Bridget, a kind-hearted Bergen who works as a scullery maid to the Bergen Chef and has feelings for Gristle. *Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Prince Gristle, the prince (later king) of the Bergens. He is Bridget's love interest. *Christine Baranski as Chef, a mean-spirited Bergen who is in charge of Troll preparation. *Russell Brand as Creek, a Troll with a positive personality and zen-like wisdom later revealed to be a coward and traitor willing to sell out all the trolls just so he won't be eaten. *Gwen Stefani as DJ Suki, the Trolls' resident disk jockey. *James Corden as Biggie, a chubby, friendly Troll. *Jeffrey Tambor as King Peppy, the king of the Trolls. *Ron Funches as Cooper, a giraffe-like Troll. *Icona Pop as Satin and Chenille, twin trolls who are joined by their hair and love fashion. *Kunal Nayyar as Guy Diamond, a glittery silver Troll with a highly Auto-Tuned voice, who is always naked. *Walt Dohrn as Mr. Dinkles, Biggie's pet worm. Dohrn also voices Smidge, Fuzzbert, Cloud Guy, Tunnel Troll and Wedgie Bergen #2. *John Cleese as King Gristle Sr., Gristle's father and the ruler of the Bergens at the start of the film. *GloZell as Grandma Rosiepuff, an elderly Troll and Branch's late grandmother. In the UK version, newsreader Susanna Reid voices the character and in the Australian version, Dami Im voices the character. *Meg DeAngelis as Moxie Dewdrop, a dancing Troll. Noodlerella voices the character in the UK version. *Ricky Dillon as Aspen Heitz, a Troll skitterboarder. *Kandee Johnson as Mandy Sparkledust, a Troll who designs and repairs all the treasures of Troll Town. *Quvenzhané Wallis as Harper, a Troll artist who paints with her hair. *Mike Mitchell as Darius, Vinny the Phone, Captain Starfunkle, Spider, Wedgie Bergen #1, Chad, Card *Grace Helbig as Cookie Sugarloaf, one of the trolls. *Curtis Stone as Todd *Rhys Darby as Bibbly Production DreamWorks announced plans for a film based on the Troll toyline as early as 2010. This version was to be written by Adam Wilson and his wife Melanie.25 By 2012, Chloë Grace Moretz had already been cast in the female lead role and Jason Schwartzman was reported to have been offered the male lead.26 In September 2012, 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks Animation announced that the film with the working title Trolls would be released on June 5, 2015, with Anand Tucker set to direct the film, written byWallace Wolodarsky and Maya Forbes.1 By April 2013, DreamWorks Animation had acquired the intellectual property for the Trolls franchise from the Dam Family and Dam Things. Having "big plans for the franchise," DreamWorks Animation became the exclusive worldwide licensor of the merchandise rights, except for Scandinavia, where Dam Things remains the licensor.27 In May 2013, the film was pushed back for a year to November 4, 2016.28 The same month, DreamWorks Animation announced that Mike Mitchell and Erica Rivinoja has been hired as a director and screenplay writer to "reimagine" the film as a musical comedy, which will present the origin of the Trolls' colorful hair.29 On June 16, 2014, Anna Kendrick joined the cast to voice Poppy, a princess.12 On September 15, 2015, Deadline Hollywood reported that Justin Timberlake will voice a character named Branch.10 Timberlake previously worked with DreamWorks Animation as the voice of Arthur "Artie" Pendragon in Shrek the Third in 2007. The full cast announced their respective roles via announcements on Twitter on January 6, 2016.30 Musicedit Main article: Trolls (soundtrack) Justin Timberlake served as an executive producer for the film's music and released the original song "Can't Stop the Feeling!" on May 6, 2016.31 The song reached No. 1 in the official charts of 17 countries, including the United States and Canada. In addition to Timberlake, the rest of the cast contributed to the film’s soundtrack, which also features guest appearances from Earth, Wind & Fire and Ariana Grande.32 The soundtrack album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America33 and the Australian Recording Industry Association.34 Release Reception The film's opening premiere opened at the BFI London Film Festival Opening Celebration on October 8, 2016 as a special BFI presentation, and was theatrically released on November 4, 2016, in the United States by 20th Century Fox. Franchise References Trivia Category:2016 films Category:Trolls Category:Non-20th Century Fox Category:Dreamworks Category:DreamWorks Animation films Category:20th Century Fox films